Since the dawn of time fireballs (meteors) have lit up our skies on planet Earth. The earliest recordings of these sightings are recorded on cave walls and told to people through time by myths or legends of the past. One of the earliest known records is one from the Perseids, recorded in China in 36 AD. About 251 million years ago and age known as "The Great Dying." During this time over 90 percent of sea life and over 75 percent of life on land was wiped out. Although unknown til this day, many believed that either a comet or meteor was the driving force behind this mass extinction. Dinosaurs from the past disappeared around 65 million years ago. Recent evidence suggests that an asteroid impacted off the Yucantan Pennisula was the cause. On November 17, 1799 a similar event displayed in Mexico by Humboldt and Bonpland. One of the earliest known records is one from the Perseids, recorded in China in 36 AD. In 1478 B.C., The Parian chronicle described an event where a large fireball struck the island of Crete. The event descirbed might of been the cause behind the unexplained disapperance of the Minoan civilization.
picture courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
FORMATION
Scientists not certained how meteors formed but have had many plausible therories about it. Many suggests meteors come from the asteroid belt which is positioned between Mars and Jupiter. They could also be from leftovers of supernovas, collisions of meteors, chips of asteroids, or pieces floating around from the formation of new moons and planets. Scientists have theorized that the asteroid belt was once a massive planet which collided with something very large such as an asteroid. As a result, it is reduced to rubbles. The leftover pieces are known as asteroids today. When comets approaches near the the Sun, it's heat causes comets to melt scattering its materials behind. This, as a reult, forms the tail. Astronomers have said that a comet has been solid for millions of years before melting.
OBSERVING, PARTS, AND LOCATION
picture courtesy of eso-garden.com
Observing meteors can be seen through the human naked eye. However meteors are not seen every night, just as eclipses and comets, meteors have a certain time and location. However a meteor viewing turns into a meteorite shower, it is not just one but many. The name we give a meteor shower derived from the constellation of which the meteor originated from. The Quandrantids happen from January 1st to the 6th. The Lyrids happen from April 19th to the 24th. The Leonid occurs when the Earth "sees" the debris left behind from a comet. It usually occurs on November around the 18th. Since most meteors are parts of asteroids, the logical answer of where meteors come from is the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. A meteor appears when a piece of metallic or stony material called a meteoroid enters the atmosphere. The heat from the friction of the air in the atmosphere causes the meteoroid to glow. The heat also creates a shining trail of gas and melted meteoroid particles. The meteoroids that cause meteors are usually no larger than a pebble, and become visible when they are between 40 and 75 miles away from the surface of the Earth. Most meteors do not pass our atmosphere but those that do are know as meteorites.
Meteors
Since the dawn of time fireballs (meteors) have lit up our skies on planet Earth. The earliest recordings of these sightings are recorded on cave walls and told to people through time by myths or legends of the past. One of the earliest known records is one from the Perseids, recorded in China in 36 AD. About 251 million years ago and age known as "The Great Dying." During this time over 90 percent of sea life and over 75 percent of life on land was wiped out. Although unknown til this day, many believed that either a comet or meteor was the driving force behind this mass extinction. Dinosaurs from the past disappeared around 65 million years ago. Recent evidence suggests that an asteroid impacted off the Yucantan Pennisula was the cause. On November 17, 1799 a similar event displayed in Mexico by Humboldt and Bonpland. One of the earliest known records is one from the Perseids, recorded in China in 36 AD. In 1478 B.C., The Parian chronicle described an event where a large fireball struck the island of Crete. The event descirbed might of been the cause behind the unexplained disapperance of the Minoan civilization.
FORMATION
Scientists not certained how meteors formed but have had many plausible therories about it. Many suggests meteors come from the asteroid belt which is positioned between Mars and Jupiter. They could also be from leftovers of supernovas, collisions of meteors, chips of asteroids, or pieces floating around from the formation of new moons and planets. Scientists have theorized that the asteroid belt was once a massive planet which collided with something very large such as an asteroid. As a result, it is reduced to rubbles. The leftover pieces are known as asteroids today. When comets approaches near the the Sun, it's heat causes comets to melt scattering its materials behind. This, as a reult, forms the tail. Astronomers have said that a comet has been solid for millions of years before melting.
OBSERVING, PARTS, AND LOCATION
Observing meteors can be seen through the human naked eye. However meteors are not seen every night, just as eclipses and comets, meteors have a certain time and location. However a meteor viewing turns into a meteorite shower, it is not just one but many. The name we give a meteor shower derived from the constellation of which the meteor originated from. The Quandrantids happen from January 1st to the 6th. The Lyrids happen from April 19th to the 24th. The Leonid occurs when the Earth "sees" the debris left behind from a comet. It usually occurs on November around the 18th. Since most meteors are parts of asteroids, the logical answer of where meteors come from is the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. A meteor appears when a piece of metallic or stony material called a meteoroid enters the atmosphere. The heat from the friction of the air in the atmosphere causes the meteoroid to glow. The heat also creates a shining trail of gas and melted meteoroid particles. The meteoroids that cause meteors are usually no larger than a pebble, and become visible when they are between 40 and 75 miles away from the surface of the Earth. Most meteors do not pass our atmosphere but those that do are know as meteorites.
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